COAL NEGOTIATIONS

Hokitika Guardian, 24 May 1926, Page 2

COAL NEGOTIATIONS

[Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.] MINERS’ OPINION. LONDON, May 21. The miners of all shnejes of opinion resolutely oppose the wage reductions. The general view is that, “ We don’t mind distress so long as we all suffer together.” Various correspondents’ reports after examining the different districts show that there are no disturbances, but a grim determination to face a long struggle. Many miners are spending the day picking pieces of coal from the colliery slag heaps and turning over hillocks of debris in seaich of buried hits of coal. Wheelbarrows and old perambulators are improvised to take the coal home. The Miners’ Federation is paying ont strike pay at the rate of fifteen shillings per week, plus Is (id for each child under fourteen years of age. The miners assert that the unemployment benefit has been disallowed, but*those who were drawing it before the strike arc continuing to do so. The additional relief, due to the strike is costing the boards of guardians many thousand of pounds weekly. In many places the Welsh miners have formed male choirs and are earning money singing in the

streets. Sir Henry Slesser’s Miners’ Relief Committee in London is appealing for funds for the purchase and distribution of food. The appeal says that long periods of short time and low wages have exhausted the miners’ resources and they are now facing actual starvation.

“ We will just have to tighten our belts and see it through,” says the majority of the miners’ delegates. “We are more united and more determined to-day than ever before, and any hesitation among a few has been stiffened by the Government proposal for an immediate reduction of wages. We are afraid it is going to bo a long business.”

PEACE NEGOTIATIONS BROKEN. The coal miners’ delegates have left London with bag and baggage, until something happens to justify their return. The owners sent a lengthy letter to Air Baldwin in which they conveyed the rejection of his proposals. Therefore the stalemate is complete, and as some have put it, both sides have taken to the trenches. The owners’ letter says the proposals are not generous to the chief cause of the deadlock, ignoring the economic necessities of the industry, and can only result in further unemployment, at the same time adding to the industry’s burden of loss. The only solution to bring down the costs of production without making the men suffer is the restoration of the eight-hour day, and a reduction of wages. To bridge the gap would not exceed a ten per cent reduction, and this would be more apparent than real, since it would result' in more employment and higher earnings. The Government’s plan, it is contended, would limit the freedom of administration, and would not result in ultimate efficiency. The owners were fully alive to the importance of pressing forward development and organisation technique, and with tho absence of industrial unrest and political interference, which provide no opportunity for consideration of real problems. There would he a. conscious effort on our part to this end. We are confident there would be a progressive improvement in the standards of living. A number of tho commission’s conclusions were founded upon the false theory that prosperity is only attainable through the restriction ol output and the enhancement of prices, but these spell ruin to British industry. It is understood that Air Baldwin will reply to tho parties to-morrow. When asked what the next step would be, Air Lee, secretary to the owners, shrugged his shoulders and replied: “The miners can move 1 suppose.”

RA] I, WAYMEN DIFFERENCES. * LONDON, May 22. Serious differences have occurred over the question of the reinstatement of railwaymen after the strike. The railway unions had long conferences with the companies yesterday, after which the position was stated to be most critical, but it was hoped that ’’further negotiations would produce satisfactory results. Reports from the north say that less than sixty per cent ol the National Union or Railwaymen’s members have been reinstated in certain centres. The twenty-second day of the coal stoppage finds virtually a million miners’ families faced by the grim spectre of starvation. With a settlement not a fraction nearer than it was before the strike, the miners are now preparing to fight to a finish, and incC dental to tho determination come graphic reports from the coalfields of grim hardships suffered by the miners’ families. The “ Daily Express ” correspondent in South Wales says that the distress among the miners is hourly increasing. Thousands of familiiea are near the verge of starvation and the plight of the women and children is pitiful to behold. The womenfolk aie sitting in the doorways of endless lows ol cottages, staring sadly into space. Practically all the elementary scholars are fed from food kitchens. The miners next week will reach the end of their resources. Many have not yet paid their debts due to tradesmen since the 1921 strike. The 'President and the Secretary, and all the officials of the miners’ unions have decided to Rive their salaries to the strike fund. The Warwickshire miners receive no strike pay this. week-end, th funds being exhausted. Long queues of people are in front of the relief offices. A thousand Monmouthshire miners marched to Newport to interview the guardians, urging that a more generous relief lie granted. The local people have provided hundreds of loaves of bread daily. One relief body in Rhondda is paying out fifteen hundred pounds sterling weekly for supply of milk for expectatant mothers and babies. SETTLEMENT HOPELESS.

The Daily Telegraph’s” Labour oorlespondent describes the owners’ reply as neither hopeful nor accommodating. Mr Cook, the Miners’ Secretary, interviewed. said that the owners want industry for their own benefit, and m conjunction with the royalty owners, middlemen, and sales agents, they declare unbliisliingly that they favour both longer hours and lower wages. The whole of.the British Labour Movement will rally again to the miners’ support in defence of the present standard of living.

Air C'lynes, speaking at Bournemouth on nationalisation, said that if this basic industry cannot afford under private ownership to pay ’the miners a wage fit for human beings to live upon, it will have to afford an adequate wage under public ownership. The “ Daily Telegraph,” in an editorial, regards the coal owners’ reply as more unbending than the miners’ proposition. The paper stresses tho fact that the Government cannot leave the situation alone.

The “ Daily News ” says the owners’ attitude remains stubborn, and their proposals are as sterile as they were nine months ago.

The “ Daily Chronicle ” says it fails to understand the Government’s relapse into indifferent inactivity. The “Morning Post’s ” gives a tabulated average of the weekly earnings of the miners working underground, showing t/he highest wages earned were £3 11s per week, and the lowest £2 7a per week. The surface workers high-

est wages were £2 Lis per week, and tho lowest wages received were £2 per week.

LONDON) May 22. The suggestion that Mr. Baldwi gave countenance to Sir H, Samuel’ posals, and inter repudiated then underlies a letter from the Trad Lnion Congress to -Mr Cook, .Miners Secretary, wherein the appeal was mad that Sir H. Samuel’s should speal without resoravtioii. The latter asks “ Will Sir 11. Samuels deny that con saltations took place between himsel and Mr Baldwin on the terms of tin memorandum. Jt also declares that the memordanum was accepted hy the T.U.C. on a definite assurance that tin Government would accept them as a basis of negotiation, and on that understanding the General Strike would aecept them as a basis of negotiation, and on that understanding the General Strike would be cancelled and the lockout notices withdrawn. In the meantime the Trade Union Congress appeals to the workers to give financial support to the miners. EFFECT ON TRAFFIC. .MR BALDWIN’S REBUKE. this dav at 8 a.mA LONDON, .May 23. An unexpected outburst of fine weather coinciding with Whitsuntide tends to obscure tilic gravity of the coal dispute, yet this is evidenced by the curtailed railway .services and unprecedented use of motor transport. For instance, one London firm carried more than five thousand people to the South Coast resorts yesterday, in a fleet of one hundred and fifty motor coaches. Everything awheel is being utilised. Nevertheless it will be a stay at homo holiday for a majority of the people of England. Mr Baldwin’s replies to the owners and miners are given prominence in ' the Sunday papers. The “ Sunday Express ” describes * them as an ultimatum and stresses the 1 rebuke to the owners, emphasising the 1 passage, “ You appear to show an in- 1 adequate appreciation both to tho nat- < ure of tho proposal and the gravity of £ the situation.”

TWO IMPORTANT LETTERS. PRIME MINISTER’S VIEWS. [Reuter Telegrams.] (Received this dav at 8 n.m.i LONDON, May 22. A letter couched in unusually firm terms was addressed by Sir Ronald Waterhouse on behalf of Mr Baldwin to the .Mining Association and Miners’ Federation, arising from the turning down of the Premier’s coal proposals. The communication to tho former expresses great regret at the Associations uncompromising attitude, though it admits the owners made advances from the original position, while the Federation remained exactly as it did last July. The Prime Minister profoundly disagrees with the Association attributing the industry’ troubles to political interference. "What was called political interference in the mining industry had been entirely due to the incapacity now' and again so conspicuously shown, by that industry and the inability, unlike other industries, to settle its disputes for itself. The letter deplores the Association’s apparent inability to recognise it was quite impossible for any Government to have stood aside when the National well-being was so vitally and disastrously affected. It points out that the essential feature of the Government’s proposal was for both sides to agree to leave the crucial point in dispute, the figure of minimum percentage or basis in the various districts for arbitration in the last resort. This principle lias again been accepted in other great industries. Admittedly the other side’s attitude made this impossible for the present, but it is declared the Prime . Minister cannot refrain from commenting that the Association appears to show inadequate appreciation of the nature of the proposal and gravity of the present situation. The letter sent to the Federation says in view of the latter’s refusal to consider the alteration in .wages and hours it is useless to prepare them 1 until they are prepared" to submit to 1 practical proposals to meet the eirenm- • stances. The Government bad reluctantly accepted some alterations in the coal report in the hope of affecting a < settlement, but now it must be clearly I understood that the Government would regain freedom for all purposes and no longer bold themselves bound by the terms of an offer which was rejected. The letter further stated that tho 1 Government cannot hold open beyond j 31st May the offer of any further sub- . sidy. ’ LORD INOHCAPE’S VIEWS. ( (Received this day at 10.15 a.m.) i LONDON, May 23. t If the settlement of the coal dispute 1 were accompanied by a scheme under 1 the auspices of the Anglo Dominion 1 Governments whereby a large number of the miners’ families could be assisted to suitable employment in the Dominions, it would prove at least a partial solution, of the problem, says Lord Inehenpe in an article in the “ Sunday ’Times.” The coal stoppage s would inevitably result in the closing t down of unprofitable mines and the fur- I tlier employment of miners, many of i whom are able-bodied and accustomed to hard work. They are skilled in the use of tools and would find new profitable careers in the Dominions. Well paid employment is actually awaiting men in many districts of New Zealand, , while opportunities, in Australia are ] even more diverse. .

Fortunately the shipping between England, Australia and New Zealand is again running with wonted regularity due to the Sailors’ and Firemen’s Unions ballot refusal to participate in the strike. The shipping and mercantile community cannot be sufficiently grateful to the Union leaders for their wise guidance. Had the English seamen struck, the trouble would have been spread throughout the world. The stoppage of British ships would probably have jeopardised Britain’s food supplies for many weeks. Trades Unionism is an indispensable factor in the industrial life. Without its medium, collective bargaining in British industries is impossible and internal and foreign trade would be reduced to chaos. The strike only showed that political action would not help trade unionism. ZINOVIEFF’S VIEWS. , MOSCOW. May 23. Zinovieff, lecturing, said the general strike was a mere rehearsal by very bad directors. It is a great progress. When British workers are able to halt a motor car and make a woman get out and walk, the same day the worker will not only halt but get into the car. The strike vividly illustrated England’s weak points, such as Dominions’ rebellion against lier rule.